Carl Safreed, P.E., Air Pollution Control Division of the Canton City Health Department, as well as Terry Reagan and Kevin Lockett, two Keep Akron Beautiful Board members who serve on the Greenprint Task Force, were the judges. They decided on a first, second and third place winner out of the 589 science projects created by middle and high school students.

Greenprint for Akron Award Winners Selected

Antonia Bruno, a 7th grader from Miller South School for Visual and Performing Arts. Antonia developed her winning project, entitled “The Ethanol Project,” under the supervision of teacher, Tina Lattimer. About her project results, Antonia commented, “Just because I didn’t get the results I was looking for doesn’t mean I won’t try again. We can’t give up on trying to make the world a greener place.” Her prize was $250 from Greenprint for Akron.

Jacob Lormer, a 7th grader from Dr. Morgan Greene’s science class at Litchfield Middle School took second place. He won with, “The Effects of Grass Killers on Grass,” a project that will directly help Keep Akron Beautiful in bed preparation for urban Flowerscapes sites this spring. Jacob’s prize was $100 from Greenprint for Akron.

Mikala Warner, an 8th grader at the National Inventors Hall of Fame (S.T.E.M. Learning) School, took third place. She worked with Coach Sharon Kaffen to develop her project called Air Pollution in Akron. For this project, Mikala tested the levels of pollution in downtown Akron, in a residential area, and in a city park and found that downtown is the most polluted. Her work won her the $50 Greenprint for Akron award.

A big thank you to the judges and, of course, the students for participating in the event. The Green Ribbon Panel from the City of Akron is encouraged and impressed that these middle and high school students are identifying local environmental problems and investigating solutions at their young age.